Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Boycott campaign donations!, by Joe Nocera
Nocera writes about Starbucks CEO George Schultz idea to boycott campaign contributions. "The fundamental problem is that the lens through which Congress approaches issues is re-election. The lifeblood of their re-election campaigns is political contributions."

Citizens rise up in Maine
Nice: "At least 68,000 Maine residents signed a petition to repeal a recent law that prohibited Election Day voter registration."

Congress/2012
Supercommittee members have busy fundraising schedule
More from the Hill on super committee fundraising. Mentions the open letter on fundraising and transparency. Craig Holman: "These fundraisers are going to bring in a huge amount of cash because everyone who cares about the budget, which is everyone, will contribute to these lawmakers. It is exceedingly troublesome.”

Poll: Voters want super committee members to end fundraising, provide transparency
Voters really want super committee members to do the right thing and stop fundraising and provide transparency while they work.

Murray gets heat as she readies to co-chair debt panel
McClatchy runs a wire story on Patty Murray heading up super committee. Nick Nyhart: "Senator Patty Murray may be a fine senator, but putting Senate Democrats' leading fundraiser in charge of a committee that will see a lobbying push like never before sends the wrong message to the American people."

K Street prepares for super panel season
Nothing to see here folks! My favorite part: "Those concerns, however, have had little resonance among lawmakers or leadership. To set special rules for the super committee on fundrasing would imply that existing rules don’t sufficiently insulate policy deliberations from political pressure. So, the parties go on."

Renacci goes to bat for transparency
Freshman Rep. Jim Renacci gets a plug in his hometown newspaper for his work on pushing transparency in the super committee

Patty Murray, pork queen, by Michele Malkin
Michele Malkin takes on Patty Murray's selection for the super committee. Me: "“It really sends a bad message to the American people when you’re the chief fund-raiser trying to come up with this balanced approach to deficit reduction."

A businessman in Congress, helping his district, and himself
NYT looks at Darrell Issa and his habit of doing things in Congress that help is own wallet. "In Mr. Issa’s case, it is sometimes difficult to separate the business of Congress from the business of Darrell Issa."

Congressman keeps eye on leadership
Looking at the fundraising prowess of freshman Rep. Steve Womack. Nick Nyhart: "If you want to get ahead among your peers in Washington, being able to raise money is a huge asset. In fact, it is a requirement in leadership you are expected to raise a threshold amount."

Perry offers perks to donors who raise generous funds
Want to receive a VIP pass to the Republican convention next year? Offer to become a "Patriot" for Rick Perry and raise 500k for his campaign.
- And he's going to need those folks to raise money outside of Texas

Rick Perry super PAC raises issues of coordination, collusion
Interesting story on all these Perry super PACs: "The connections that these groups have to Perry's inner circle, however, are raising serious questions about their supposed independence and the appearance of collusion."

Blame for financial mess starts with corporate lobby, by Steve Perlstein
Do read this Perlstein column about our economic mess and the influence of Wall Street money.

Power to the corporations!, by Maureen Dowd
Maureen Dowd takes on Mitt "Corporations are people" Romney. Oh, snap: "[N]ever has the traditional Republican doctrine been so succinctly explained."
- Katrina vanden Heuvel rounds up her top reactions to Romney's statement

Mitt Romney's million-dollar "mystery donor" points out gigantic loopholes in campaign finance laws
The Republican newspaper in Mass. editorializes on Mitt's secret donors: "Anyone who would argue that all in campaign finance is just fine and dandy need look no further than the case of the million-dollar mystery donor."
- And Michael Winship looks at Romney's work and network of contributors

Texas's K Street roots move behind Perry
What did Rick Perry say in his announcement speech? Something about America isn't broken, Washington, D.C. is broken? "A number of former aides to Texan lawmakers and Lone Star State natives who are now prominent lobbyists in Washington plan to back Perry."

GOP presidential hopefuls' New York fundraising
Might need a subscription to see this: "Republican presidential hopefuls have collected nearly $2.5 million from New York donors, according to the latest available campaign finance filings. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has received an astonishing $2.1 million of that, or more than 85% of the haul."

Romney's wealth endures but conflicts persist
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/romneys-wealth-endures-but-1102896.html
"Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's personal wealth — up to $250 million — survived the nation's economic crisis, according to figures released Friday. But his pledge to sell off interests that conflict with his GOP stances did not extend to some investments in a family charity."

Stop coddling the rich, by Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett writes in the Times - tax us! "My friends and I have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress. It’s time for our government to get serious about shared sacrifice."

Power to rate beats trying to influence
Eliza Carney writes on the ratings agencies and how their influence comes not from their influence peddling, but just from their power over businesses.

Other/States
Big spenders should be unmasked
The AZ Republic wants transparency of secretive political groups popping up in the state. "The public has a right to know who those big spenders were. Unfortunately, we have little clue either because of exploitable quirks in election law regarding disclosure or because of lax enforcement."

Christie's courtship of business pays off in corporations
Big biz is happy with Chris Christie and are rewarding Republican committees handsomely.

Tom DeLay files appeal brief
Tom DeLay has filed an appeal to overturn his corruption conviction.